846. 有一次，我的灵被提升天堂，进入其中一个社群。这时，一些智者来到我面前，问道：“地上有什么新闻？”我告诉他们：“新闻就是，主已揭开奥秘，这些奥秘远胜自有教会以来所揭示的一切奥秘。”他们又问：“都是些什么秘密？”我回答说：“它们是：
⑴圣言及其每一个事物和每一个细节都包含与属世义相对应的灵义；教会成员藉灵义与主结合，并与天人相联；圣言的神圣在于灵义。
⑵构成灵义的这种对应关系已披露出来。”
天人问：“难道以前地上的居民不知道对应？”我说：“一无所知。这些秘密现已埋藏了数千年，事实上，自约伯时代就丢失了。对于那个时代和之前的人们而言，对应学是学问中的学问，他们从中汲取智慧，因为他们由此认识有关天堂和教会的属灵事物。但由于对应学变成了偶像崇拜的学问，于是，按照主的天命，它被抹去并遗失了，甚至踪迹全无。然而，如今主又将它披露出来，以便教会成员能与主结合，并与天人相联。这一切是藉着圣言成就的，其中的每一个事物、每一个细节都是对应。”天人无比欢喜主乐意揭开这一伟大奥秘，它已深藏了数千年。他们说，成就这一切是为了建立在圣言基础上、现已走向末路的基督教会可以再次复活，并通过主透过天堂呼吸。接着，他们询问洗礼与圣餐的含义是否藉着对应学被揭示出来，因为到目前为止，对它们的猜测够多得了。我回答说，是的。
⑶我继续说，时至今日，主已揭示死后的生活。“死后的生活怎么了？”天人说，“谁不知道人死后还活着？”“对此，他们知道，也不知道。”我答道，“他们说，死后活着的不是人，而是他的灵魂，该灵魂作为一个灵活着。他们对于灵所持的观念是，它就象一阵风或以太，声称它不会象真正的人那样活着，直等到最后审判之日后。那时，他们说，尽管遗留在世上的肉体成分已被虫子、老鼠和鱼类吃光，但仍会收聚起来，再次形成一副肉身，人就这样复活。”“你说的这都什么呀？”天人说，“谁不知道人死后仍作为一个人活着，唯一区别在于，那时他作为属灵人活着？谁不知道属灵人看属灵人，犹如物质人看物质人，人们意识不到有何区别，除非他们处于更完美的状态？”
⑷天人又问：“关于我们的世界、天堂和地狱，他们都知道些什么？”我说：“他们什么也不知道。但如今主已揭示了天人与灵所生活的这个世界、因而天堂与地狱的各自性质；还揭示了天人和灵皆与人类相联，以及除此以外有关他们的很多奇迹。”天人很高兴主乐意揭示这些事，以便世人不再由于无知而质疑自己的不朽。
⑸我继续说：“如今，主已揭示，你们的世界有一轮不同于我们世界的太阳；你们世界的太阳是纯粹的爱，我们世界的太阳是纯粹的火；因此，从你们的太阳发出的一切，由于纯粹是爱，所以其中尽含生命，而从我们的太阳发出的一切，由于纯粹是火，所以其中毫无生命；这就是属灵与属世之别的根源。迄今未被人知的这种区别也已被揭示出来。世人通过这些事实得知，以智慧启迪人类觉知之光从何而来，以爱点燃人类意愿之热又从何而来。
⑹另外，主还揭示，生命分为三层，天堂因此分为三层，人的心智也相应地分为这三层，所以，一个人对应三层天堂。” “难道他们以前不知道这些？”天人说。我回答，他们知道多和少之间的层级，但不知道在先和在后之间的层级。
⑺天人问，除了这些还揭示了什么。我说，还有很多，包括最后的审判；主，祂是天地之神，神在位格和本质上都是一，神圣的三位一体在祂里面，祂就是主；主即将建立的新教会及其教义；圣经的神圣性；启示录已被破解，其中的一切，哪怕是一句话，无不是被主揭示出来的；还有，其它星球的居民和宇宙中的其它世界；还通过灵界的很多奇迹异事，揭示了大量天堂智慧。
846. 有一次, 我的灵被提升天堂, 进入那里的社群, 一些智者向我走来, 问道: “地上有什么新闻? ”我告诉他们说: “新闻就是, 主已揭开奥秘, 这些奥秘远胜自有教会以来所揭示的一切奥秘。 ”他们又问: “都是些什么秘密? ”我回答说: “它们是:
(1) 圣言的每一个事物都包含对应于属世义的灵义; 圣言藉灵义将教会成员与主联结起来, 也将他们与天人联系起来; 圣言的神圣在于灵义。
(2) 灵义构成的这种对应已被揭开。 ”
天人问: “难道以前地上的居民不知道对应? ”我回答: “一无所知; 这些秘密现已隐藏了上千年, 事实上, 自约伯时代就丢失了; 但那个时代和之前的人们都视对应学为至上的学问, 它是其智慧的源头, 因为他们由此认识天堂和教会的属灵事物。 但由于对应学变成了偶像崇拜的知识, 所以按照主的天命, 它湮没并遗失了, 甚至踪迹全无。 然而, 如今它又被主公开了, 以便实现教会成员与主, 以及与天人的联结。 这一切通过圣言成就, 其中每一个事物都是对应。 ”天人异常高兴主乐意揭开这一伟大奥秘, 它们已深藏了上千年; 他们还说, 成就这一切是为了基于圣言, 如今已是末期的基督教会可以再次复活, 并从主透过天堂呼吸。 他们询问洗礼与圣餐的含义是否通过对应学被揭示出来, 毕竟此前对它们意见不一。 我回答说, 是的。
(3) 我继续说, 现在主已揭示人死后的生活。 天人说: “死后的生活怎么了? 难道没人知道人死后还活着? ”我回答说: “对此, 他们知道, 也不知道。 他们说, 死后活着的不是人, 而是他的灵魂, 该灵魂作为一个灵活着; 他们对灵的观念是, 它就象风或以太; 他们说, 人不会象人一样活着, 直到最后审判之后, 那时, 尽管他遗留在世上的肉体已被虫子, 老鼠和鱼类吃光, 但仍会再次收聚起来, 形成一副身体, 人就这样再次复活。 ”天人说: “多么荒唐! 难道没人知道死后活着的是人吗? 唯一区别在于, 那时活着的是实质人, 而不是以前那样的物质人, 实质人看实质人, 就跟物质人看物质人一样, 人们意识不到这种区别, 除非他们处于更完美的状态。 ”
(4) 天人又问: “关于我们的世界, 天堂和地狱, 他们都知道些什么? ”我回答: “他们什么也不知道; 但现在, 天人与灵所生活的这个世界, 也就是天堂与地狱的性质, 已被主揭示; 还揭示了天人和灵皆与人类联结, 除此以外, 还有关于它们的很多奇迹。 ”天人很高兴主乐意揭示这些事, 以便人不再由于无知而质疑自己的不朽。
(5) 我进一步说: “如今, 主揭示了, 在你们的世界有一轮不同于我们世界的太阳; 你们世界的太阳是纯粹的爱, 我们世界的太阳是纯粹的火; 因此, 从你们的太阳发出的一切, 由于纯粹是爱, 所以其中尽含生命, 而从我们的太阳发出的一切, 由于纯粹是火, 所以其中毫无生命; 还揭示, 这就是属灵与属世之间区别的性质, 这尚未被人知的区别也已被揭示出来。 这些事实清楚显明了以智慧启迪人类觉知之光的源头和以爱点燃人类意愿之热的源头。
(6) 此外, 还揭示, 存在三个生命等级, 随之存在三层天堂, 人的心智相应被分成了三个等级, 人因此对应于这三层天堂。 ”天人问: “难道人们以前不知道这些? ”我回答, 他们知道多和少之间的等级, 但不知道在前和在后之间的等级。
(7) 天人问, 除了这些还揭示了什么。 我说, 还有很多事; 这些事包括最后审判; 主是天地之神; 神在位格和本质上是一; 神圣的三位一体在祂里面, 祂就是主; 主将建立的新教会及其教义; 圣经的神圣性; 启示录已被破解; 此外讲述了地球的居民和宇宙的其它星球; 还通过灵界很多难忘的奇迹异事, 揭示了大量的天堂智慧。
846. On one occasion I was carried up in my spirit to the angelic heaven, to a particular community there. Some of the wise people of that community met with me and asked, "What are the latest developments on earth [in regard to wisdom]?"
"This is new," I said: "The Lord has recently revealed secrets that are more excellent than any that have ever been revealed since the church first came into existence. "
"What are they?" they asked.
"They are as follows," I said.
(1) "In the Word, within each and every detail of it, there is a spiritual meaning that corresponds to its earthly meaning. Because it has this inner meaning, the Word allows the people of the church to form a partnership with the Lord; it also allows people to associate with angels. What makes the Word holy is that it contains this spiritual meaning.
[2] (2) "The correspondences that the spiritual meaning consists of have also been disclosed. "
"Didn't the people living on earth already know about correspondences?" the angels asked.
"Not at all," I said. "This knowledge has lain hidden for thousands of years now - ever since the time of Job. To the people alive then and the people who had lived before, the study of correspondences was the supreme field of study. Their wisdom was based on it, because it gave them knowledge of spiritual things that relate to heaven and the church. The study of correspondences was later twisted into a form of idolatry. Therefore in the Lord's divine providence it was so thoroughly wiped out and destroyed that no one could see a trace of it any more. Nevertheless, the Lord is now disclosing it to allow the people of the church to form a partnership with him and be associated with angels. The Word is what brings this about, because everything that is in it is a correspondence. "
The angels were thrilled to hear that the Lord had chosen to reveal this great secret, which had lain deeply hidden for thousands of years. They said that the purpose of his doing so was to bring the Christian church, which is founded on the Word but is now at its end, back to life and allow it to breathe in a new spirit through heaven from the Lord.
The angels asked whether the study of correspondences had uncovered yet what baptism and the Holy Supper mean - topics on which people have had so many different theories.
"Yes, this has been uncovered," I said.
[3] (3) "Today," I went on, "the Lord has also revealed what our lives are like after we die. "
"Why life after death?" the angels asked. "Surely everyone realizes that we live on after we die. "
"In some ways yes, in some ways no. " I replied. "People say that human beings do not survive death, but their souls do; the soul lives on as a spirit. They think of a spirit as a piece of wind or ether. These do not live as people until the day of the Last Judgment comes. Then the bodily elements they had left behind in the world are gathered together again (even if their bodies have been consumed by worms, rats, or fish) and are once more shaped into a body; in this way the soul will be resurrected as a person. "
"What kind of theory is that?" the angels asked. "Surely everyone knows that people live on as people after death, with only one difference, which is that we then live as substantial people, and no longer the physical people we used to be. Just as physical people can see other physical people, substantial people can see other substantial people. We cannot tell any difference between being physical and being substantial, except that we are in a more perfect state. "
[4] (4) The angels asked me, "What do people on earth know about our world and about heaven and hell?"
"Nothing," I said. "Nevertheless the Lord is disclosing at this time what kind of world angels and spirits live in, which includes what heaven is like and what hell is like; and that angels and spirits have a partnership with people on earth. Many surprising facts about angels and spirits have been revealed as well. "
The angels were thrilled to find out that the Lord had chosen to reveal such things to people, to prevent ignorance from keeping them in uncertainty regarding their own immortality.
[5] (5) I went on to say, "The Lord has also revealed today that your world has a different sun than ours. The sun in your world is pure love; the sun in our world is pure fire. Therefore, because your sun is pure love, everything that emanates from it is alive; because our sun is pure fire, nothing that emanates from it is alive. This is the most important difference between what is spiritual and what is earthly. This difference, which was previously unknown, has been made known now. As a result, the origin of the light that enlightens the human intellect with wisdom and the origin of the heat that ignites the human will with love have also been made known.
[6] (6) "It has also been disclosed that there are three levels of life. As a result there are three heavens. The human mind has these same three levels. As a result, we ourselves correspond to the three heavens. "
"Didn't people know that already?" the angels asked.
"They knew about levels that range from more to less," I said, "but not at all about the levels that are prior as opposed to the levels that are subsequent. "
[7] (7) "Besides what you have just mentioned, has anything more been revealed?" the angels asked.
"Yes," I said. "There is information about the Last Judgment; about the fact that the Lord is the God of heaven and earth; about God being not only one essence but also one person, in whom the divine Trinity exists, and that the Lord is that person. Also information about the new church that the Lord is establishing, about its teachings, and about the holiness of Sacred Scripture. The Book of Revelation has been unveiled. There is also information about the inhabitants of other planets and about the worlds in the universe. Not to mention accounts of memorable occurrences and amazing things witnessed in the spiritual world; through these accounts much that relates to heavenly wisdom has been made known. "
846. 1 I was once carried up in my spirit to the heaven of angels, and to one community there. Then some of their wise men came to me asking, 'What is the news from earth?' I told them that the news is that the Lord has revealed secrets far exceeding in excellence any so far revealed since the church began.
'What are these?' they asked. I said that they are: (1) In every detail the Word contains a spiritual sense corresponding to the natural sense, and by means of that sense the Word forms a link between people in the church and the Lord; it also creates an association with angels, and the holiness of the Word resides in that sense.
[2] (2) The correspondences of which the spiritual sense is composed have been disclosed. 'Did not the inhabitants of the earth,' asked the angels, 'previously know about correspondences?' I told them that they knew nothing at all and these had been lost to sight for thousands of years, in fact, since the time of Job. The people of that and previous ages regarded a knowledge of correspondences as the supreme science, and it was the source of their wisdom, because it was knowledge of spiritual matters to do with heaven and the church. But because the science turned into an idolatrous one, it was by the Lord's Divine providence so wiped out and lost that no one could see any trace of it. Now, however, it has been disclosed by the Lord, so that people belonging to the church may be linked with Him and associated with angels. Both of these take place by means of the Word, every detail of which is a correspondence.
The angels were extremely happy that it has pleased the Lord to reveal this great secret, which has lain so deeply hidden for thousands of years. They said that the reason it was done was in order that the Christian church, which is based upon the Word and is now at its end, should be revived and draw breath from the Lord through heaven. They enquired whether by this science it had been disclosed what was the meaning of baptism and the Holy Supper, which up to now have been the subject of so many speculations. I replied that it had.
[3] (3) I went on to say that at the present time the Lord had made a revelation about people's life after death. 'What about life after death?' said the angels. 'Surely everyone knows that a person lives after death?'
'They do and they do not,' I replied. 'They say that what lives on is not the person, but his soul, and this lives as a spirit. Their notion of a spirit is that it is like the wind or the ether; and they say that the person will only live after Judgment Day. At that time their bodily remains which they left in the world, however eaten away by worms, rats or fish, will be gathered together again and reconstructed to form a body; and this is how people will be brought to life again.'
'What an idea!' said the angels. 'Everyone knows that a person goes on living as a person after death, with the single difference that then he lives as a substantial and not as before as a material person. A substantial person can see another substantial person, just as much as a material person can see another material person. They are unaware of any difference, except that they are in a more perfect state.'
[4] (4) The angels asked, 'What do they know of our world and about heaven and hell?' I replied that they know nothing, but that at the present time the Lord had disclosed what the world is like where the angels and spirits live, and so what heaven and hell are like. It had also been revealed that angels and spirits are linked with human beings, and many other surprising facts. The angels were glad that the Lord had been pleased to disclose such matters, so that mankind should no longer be impelled by ignorance to doubt its own immortality.
[5] (5) I went on to speak of another matter revealed by the Lord at the present time. 'Your world has a different sun from ours. The sun of your world is pure love, the sun of our world is pure fire. Consequently all the radiation from your sun, since it is pure love, has something of life in it; all the radiation from ours, since it is pure fire, has no life in it. This is the origin of the distinction between spiritual and natural, a distinction up to now unknown, which has also been disclosed. From these facts it has become known what is the source of the light which enlightens the human understanding with wisdom, and what is the source of the heat, which fires the human will with love.
[6] (6) 'In addition it has been disclosed that there are three degrees of life, and that there are consequently three heavens, and a person's mind is divided into those three degrees. A person as a result corresponds to the three heavens.' 'Did they not know this before?' said the angels. I replied that they knew about degrees between greater and less, but nothing about degrees between prior and posterior.
[7] (7) The angel asked whether there had been more revelations than these. I said there had. These were about the Last judgment, and the Lord as being the God of heaven and earth; that God is one both in person and in essence, and in Him is the Divine Trinity, and He is the Lord. Other revelations were about the new church to be established by the Lord and the teaching of that church; about the holiness of the Sacred Scripture; the Book of Revelation too had been revealed; moreover, about the inhabitants of the planets and the other earths elsewhere in the universe. Further many wonders and accounts of experiences had been reported from the spiritual world, by means of which a great deal of wisdom from heaven had been disclosed.
Footnotes:
1. This and the following sections are largely repeated from <../cl/532.htm">Conjugial Love 532-535.
846. I was once taken up as to my spirit into the angelic heaven and into a society there; and some of the wise ones there came to me and asked, "What news from the earth?"
I answered, "The news is that the Lord has revealed mysteries, which in excellence surpass all the mysteries revealed from the beginning of the church even to the present time."
They asked "What are they?"
I replied, "They are the following:
(i.) That in each thing and in all things in the Word there is a Spiritual Sense corresponding to the natural sense; that by means of that sense the Word conjoins the men of the church with the Lord, and also associates them with angels; and that the holiness of the Word resides in that sense.
[2] (ii.) The Correspondences of which the spiritual sense consists are disclosed."
The angels asked, "Did not the inhabitants of the earth know about correspondences before this?"
I answered, "Nothing whatever; these have been hidden now for thousands of years, that is, since the time of Job; but among those who lived at that time and before it, the knowledge of correspondences was the knowledge of knowledges, from which they had wisdom, because thereby they had knowledge of the spiritual things pertaining to heaven and the church. But because that knowledge was changed into idolatrous ideas, it became, by the Lord's Divine Providence, so obliterated and lost that not the least sign of it remained visible. Nevertheless it is now disclosed by the Lord, in order that a conjunction of the men of the church with the Lord and their affiliation with the angels, may be effected, and this is done by means of the Word, wherein each thing and all things are correspondences."
The angels rejoiced exceedingly that it had pleased the Lord to reveal this great mystery, so deeply hidden for thousands of years; and they said that this was done in order that the Christian church, which is founded on the Word, and which is now at its end, may again revive and draw breath through heaven from the Lord. They asked whether the signification of baptism and of the holy supper, about which such different opinions have heretofore been held, is now disclosed by means of that knowledge.
I replied that it was.
[3] (iii.) I said further that the Lord had at this time made a revelation respecting the life of men after death.
The angels said, "What about the life after death? Does not everyone know that man lives after death?"
I replied, "They know it and they do not know it. They say that man does not live after death, but only his soul, and that this lives as a spirit; and the idea they have of spirit is that it is like wind or ether; and they say that man does not live as a man until after the day of the last judgment, when the corporeal elements which he had left in the world, although eaten up by worms, mice, and fishes, would be collected together again, and again formed into a body, and that in this way men will rise again."
The angels said, "How is this? Does not everyone know that man lives a man after death, with the sole difference that he then lives a substantial man, not a material man, as before, and that the substantial man sees the substantial man, in the same way as the material man sees the material, and that men know no difference except that they are in a more perfect state."
[4] (iv.) The angels asked, "What do they know about our world, and about heaven and hell?"
I answered, "They have known nothing; but at this day the nature of the world in which angels and spirits live, that is, the nature of heaven and of hell, has been disclosed by the Lord; also that angels and spirits are in conjunction with men, besides many wonderful things respecting them."
The angels rejoiced that it had pleased the Lord to disclose such things, so that man might no longer from ignorance be in doubt respecting his immortality.
[5] (v.) I said further, "It has been revealed by the Lord at this time that there is in your world a sun different from that of our world; that the sun of your world is pure love, and the sun of our world pure fire; consequently all that goes forth from your sun, because it is pure love, partakes of life, while all that goes forth from our sun, because it is pure fire, partakes not at all of life; also that this is the nature of the difference between the spiritual and the natural, which difference, hitherto unknown, has also been disclosed. And all this has made clear the source of the light that enlightens the human understanding with wisdom, and of the heat which enkindles the human will with love.
[6] (vi.) And still further, it has been disclosed that there are three degrees of life, and consequently three heavens; that the mind of man is divided into those degrees, and that man therefore corresponds to the three heavens."
The angels asked, "Did not men know this before?"
I answered that they knew about the degrees existing between more and less, but nothing about the degrees between the prior and the posterior.
[7] (vii.) The angels asked whether anything further had been revealed.
I said that many other things had; in respect to the Last Judgment; the Lord, as being the God of heaven and earth; God, as being one both in Person and in Essence in whom is a Divine Trinity, and as being the Lord; a New Church to be established by Him; the Doctrine of that church; and the Holiness of the Sacred Scripture; that the Apocalypse had been unfolded; an account had been given of the Inhabitants of the Planets; also an account of the Earths in the Universe; with many other memorable and wonderful matters from the spiritual world, whereby much more pertaining to wisdom had been divulged from heaven.
846. 1 [XI. THE REVELATION OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH TO SWEDENBORG; AND HIS ACCOUNT OF THINGS SEEN AND HEARD IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD.] 2
I was once raised up as to my spirit into the angelic heaven and into a society there. Thereupon some of the wise men belonging to it came to me and said, "What news from the earth?" I said to them: "This is new, that the Lord has revealed things which have been hidden (arcana) surpassing in excellence those hitherto revealed since the beginning of the Church." "What are they?" they asked. I said, "They are the following."
1. In the Word, in the whole and in every part of it, there is a spiritual sense corresponding to the natural sense; by means of that sense the Word is a means of conjunction for men of the Church with the Lord, and of association with angels; and the holiness of the Word resides in that sense.
2. The correspondences of which the spiritual sense consists are now revealed. The angels asked, "Did the inhabitants of the earth know nothing of correspondences before?" "Nothing at all," I replied; "They have been hidden now for some thousands of years, even from the time of Job. With those who lived at that time, and before it, the science of correspondences was the science of sciences. From it they derived their wisdom, because their knowledge of spiritual things relating to heaven and the Church was obtained from it. But as that knowledge was made to serve idolatrous purposes it was, by the Divine Providence of the Lord, so obliterated and destroyed that no one saw any trace of it. However, it is now revealed by the Lord in order that there may be effected conjunction of the men of the Church with Him, and their association with angels. This is done by means of the Word, in which all things, both in general and in particular, are correspondences." The angels greatly rejoiced that it had pleased the Lord to reveal this great truth (arcanum), so deeply hidden for thousands of years. It was done, they said, in order that the Christian Church, founded on the Word and now at its end, may again revive and derive its spirit from the Lord through heaven. They asked whether by that science the signification of Baptism and of the Holy Supper has now been made known, concerning which so many difference opinions have hitherto been held; and I replied that it was now made known.
3. I said further that a revelation has been made at this day by the Lord concerning the life of men after death. "Why concerning the life after death?" the angels asked; "Surely all know that man lives after death." "They know it," I answered, "and they do not know it. They say that it is not the man who then lives, but his soul, and that this lives as a spirit; and the idea they entertain of spirit is that of something that is wind or ether. They maintain that the man does not live till after the day of the Last Judgment, when the corporeal elements, which men had left behind in the world, although eaten up by worms, mice or fish, will be collected together and again formed into a body; and that in this way men will rise again." "What a strange idea!" the angels said. "Surely every one knows that a man lives as a man after death with this difference only, that he then lives a substantial man, and not a material man as before; and that the substantial man sees the substantial, just as the material man sees the material; and they do not notice a single point of difference, except that they are now in a more perfect state."
4. Then the angels asked, "What do they know of our world, and of heaven and hell?" "Nothing at all," I answered; "but the Lord has at this day revealed the nature of the world in which angels and spirits live, and thus the nature of heaven and hell; and also that angels and spirits are associated with men; besides many wonderful things concerning them." The angels were glad that the Lord had been pleased to disclose such things, so that men might no longer, through ignorance, be in doubt about their own immortality.
5. I added further: "The Lord has at this day revealed that there is in your world a Sun different from that in our world I that this Sun is pure love; and that the sun in our world Is pure fire; that, therefore, whatever proceeds from your Sun, because it is pure love, partakes of life, but whatever proceeds from our sun, because it is pure fire, has nothing of life in it; that in this consists the distinction between the spiritual and the natural; and that this distinction, hitherto unknown, has also been disclosed. It has now, therefore, been made known whence comes the light that enlightens with wisdom the human understanding, and whence the heat that kindles with love the human will.
6. Moreover, it is now disclosed that there are three degrees of life, and consequently three heavens; that the mind of man is distinguished into those degrees; and hence that man has a correspondence with the three heavens." "Did they not know this before?" the angels asked. I replied, "They knew of the degrees between more and less, but not of degrees between prior and posterior."
7. The angels then asked whether anything else had been revealed. "Much more has been revealed," I answered, "concerning the Last Judgment; concerning the Lord, that He is God of heaven and earth; that God is one both in Person and in Essence, that in Him is the Divine Trinity, and that the Lord is that God; also concerning the New Church, which is to be established by Him, and concerning the doctrine of that Church; concerning the holiness of the Sacred Scripture; and that the Apocalypse has been revealed; moreover, concerning the inhabitants of the planets and the earths in the universe; besides many memorable and wonderful things from the spiritual world, which have been the means of revealing from heaven much wisdom."
Footnotes:
1. These Numbers are in quotation marks in Original Edition. The reason is suggested in footnote to N. 137[8].
2. A heading, numbered XI, has been added to this section by the translator, indicating the nature of the matter treated.
846. 1 Quondam quoad Spiritum meum evectus sum in Coelum Angelicum, et in unam Societatem ibi: et tunc accesserunt ad me aliqui ex Sapientibus ibi, et dixerunt, QUID NOVUM E TERRA; dixi illis, hoc Novum est quod Dominus revelaverit Arcana, quae excellentia excedunt Arcana ab initio Ecclesiae huc usque revelata; quaesiverunt, quae sunt illa; dixi, quod haec sint. I. Quod in Verbo in omnibus et singulis sit SENSUS SPIRITUALIS correspondens Sensui naturali, et quod Verbum per illum Sensum sit conjunctio hominum Ecclesiae cum Domino, et quoque consociatio cum Angelis, et quod Sanctitas Verbi in illo Sensu resideat.
[2] II. Quod CORRESPONDENTIAE, ex quibus Sensus spiritualis consistit, detectae sint: et quaesiverunt Angeli, anne habitatores Orbis de Correspondentiis prius sciverunt; dixi, quod prorsus nihil, et quod latuerint nunc per millia Annorum, nempe, usque a Hiobi tempore; et quod apud illos, qui eo tempore, et ante illud vixerunt, Scientia Correspondentiarum fuerit Scientia scientiarum, ex qua illis fuit Sapientia, quia Cognitio de Spiritualibus, quae Coeli et Ecclesiae sunt; sed quod Scientia illa, quia versa est in Idololatricam, ex Divina Domini Providentia ita obliterata et deperdita sit, ut nemo viderit aliquod signum de illa: sed quod usque nunc a Domino detecta sit, ut fiat conjunctio hominum Ecclesiae 2 cum Ipso et consociatio 3 cum Angelis; et hae fiunt per Verbum, in quo omnia et singula Correspondentiae sunt. Angeli valde gavisi sunt, quod placuerit Domino revelare hoc magnum Arcanum, per millia Annorum tam alte reconditum; et dixerunt, quod hoc factum sit propter finem, ut Ecclesia Christiana, quae fundatur super Verbo, et nunc in suo fine est, iterum revivat, et trahat Spiritum per Coelum a Domino. Quaesiverunt, num per illam Scientiam hodie detectum sit, quid BAPTISMUS et quid SANCTA COENA significant, de quibus tam varia huc usque cogitaverunt, et respondi, quod detectum sit.
[3] III. Porro dixi, quod hodie a Domino revelatum sit de VITA HOMINUM POST MORTEM; dixerunt Angeli, quid de Vita post mortem; quis non scit, quod homo vivat post mortem; respondi, sciunt et non sciunt; dicunt, quod non homo, sed Anima ejus, et quod haec vivat spiritus, et de spiritu fovent ideam sicut de vento aut aethere, et quod non vivat homo, quam post diem ultimi Judicii, et quod tunc corporea, quae reliquerant in Mundo, tametsi a vermibus, muribus et piscibus exesa, recolligerentur, et rursus coaptarentur in Corpus, et quod homines sic resurrecturi sint; dixerunt Angeli, quid hoc; quis non scit, quod homo vivat homo post mortem, cum sola differentia, quod tunc vivat Homo substantialis, et non materialis, ut prius, et quod Homo substantialis videat hominem substantialem, aeque sicut Homo materialis materialem, et quod non sciant unum discrimen, praeter quod in statu perfectiori sint.
[4] IV. Quaesiverunt Angeli, quid sciunt de nostro Mundo, ac de COELO ET INFERNO; respondi, quod nihil sciverint; at quod hodie a Domino detectum sit, qualis est Mundus in quo Angeli et Spiritus vivunt, ita quale est Coelum et quale est Infernum; tum etiam quod Angeli et Spiritus sint in conjunctione cum hominibus; praeter multa Mirabilia de illis; Angeli laetati sunt, quod Domino placuerit talia detegere, ne homo amplius ex ignorantia in ambiguitate sit de sua Immortalitate.
[5] V. Amplius dixi, quod hodie a Domino revelatum sit, quod in vestro Mundo sit alius SOL, quam in nostro, et quod Sol vestri Mundi sit purus Amor, et quod Sol nostri Mundi sit purus Ignis, et quod ideo omne quod procedit ex Vestro Sole, quia est purus Amor, trahat ex Vita, et quod omne quod a nostro, quia est purus Ignis, nihil ex vita trahat; et quod inde sit discrimen inter SPIRITUALE et NATURALE, quod discrimen hactenus ignotum etiam detectum est: ex quibus notum factum est, unde est Lux quae illuminat sapientia Intellectum humanum, et unde est Calor, qui accendit amore Voluntatem humanam.
[6] VI. Insuper detectum est, quod sint Tres Gradus vitae, et quod inde sint tres Coeli, et quod in illos Gradus distincta sit Mens hominis; et quod inde Homo correspondeat tribus Coelis: dixerunt Angeli, annon sciverunt hoc prius; respondi quod sciverint de Gradibus inter plus et minus, sed nihil de Gradibus inter prius et posterius.
[7] VII. Interrogaverunt Angeli, num praeter illa revelata sint plura; dixi, quod plura; quae sunt de ULTIMO JUDICIO; de DOMINO quod sit Deus Coeli et Terrae; quod Deus sit unus et Persona et Essentia, in Quo Divina Trinitas, et quod Ille sit Dominus: tum de NOVA ECCLESIA ab Ipso instauranda, et de DOCTRINA illius Ecclesiae: de SANCTITATE SCRIPTURAE SACRAE; quod etiam APOCALYPSIS revelata sit: et insuper de INCOLIS PLANETARUM; ac de TELLURIBUS in Universo: praeter multa Memorabilia et Mirabilia e Mundo spirituali, per quae plura, quae sapientiae sunt, e Coelo detecta sunt.
Footnotes: